Why Bollywood Actresses Marry Married Men: The Truth Behind It
For decades, Bollywood has repeated a striking pattern. Many successful actresses fall in love with men who are already married. The stories change with each generation, yet the emotional structure remains the same. It begins with admiration on set, grows into trust, and turns into a relationship that challenges social norms.
These unions reveal how glamour hides emotional hunger, power differences, and deep loneliness.
Relationships That Shaped Bollywood’s Public Memory
The Dharmendra–Hema Malini story became one of Bollywood’s biggest scandals. Their feelings grew during the 1970s, even though Dharmendra already had a family. He refused divorce due to family and religious pressure, yet chose conversion so he could marry Hema. Their love survived judgement and controversy, but it placed emotional strain on everyone involved.
Sridevi’s marriage to Boney Kapoor followed a different path. She depended on him during a vulnerable time, soon after her father’s death. Boney guided her, protected her, and became central to her life. Their emotional bond deepened, and the relationship ended his first marriage. Many sociologists describe this as emotional dependence, not calculation.
Kareena Kapoor found Saif Ali Khan when she was recovering from an intense breakup. Saif, already divorced and older, offered calmness and maturity. She often said that Saif brought stability to her emotional life, something she needed at that point.
The Kishore Kumar–Leena Chandavarkar story adds another layer. Kishore had experienced three marriages. Leena, a young widow, carried heavy grief. Their connection grew from shared loneliness. She saw warmth and humour in Kishore during her hardest phase, and he found gentleness in her presence. Their marriage came from emotional healing more than glamour.
Why This Pattern Repeats: What Experts Observe
Actresses often join the industry at a young age. They leave secure homes and enter a world built on competition, insecurity, and intense judgement. Older or senior male actors naturally become protective figures. This mix of authority, admiration, and regular interaction creates a strong emotional pull.
Film sets bring long hours, intimate scenes, and shared vulnerability. The line between real emotion and screen emotion frequently blurs. Many relationships begin in this space.
Bollywood also reinforces a clear power imbalance. Men enjoy longer careers, bigger roles, and stronger influence. Women often feel safer with successful, established partners rather than younger men still fighting for space.
Sociologists say this reflects Indian society itself. Men receive more freedom to love again. Women carry more blame, even when the circumstances are similar.
Loneliness adds another invisible layer. Fame reduces the circle of people an actress can trust. Many of them look for emotional stability within the industry because outsiders cannot understand the pressure of stardom. Senior actors or producers are usually the only ones who do.
More Than Scandal: A Window Into Bollywood’s Emotional Reality
These marriages are not simply love stories or moral debates. They show how actresses navigate a demanding world with very little emotional support. Many of them choose older or already-married men because these men offer guidance, authority, comfort, or a sense of security.
Their choices come from need, vulnerability, and the search for a stable emotional home. Some relationships succeed. Others collapse in public view. Each one reflects the fragile emotional framework behind Bollywood’s shining surface.
Prerna Varshney is a journalist and social commentator with over five years of experience in health, gender, and policy reporting. Her work reflects a deep commitment to truth and empathy, simplifying complex issues for everyday readers.